Reviews by NoLiberty:

App: Pours from the bottle into a nice nameless fluted chalice. Big floaty head swells and hovers over the lip before settling after several minutes into a cushiony covering of continuous creation. Seriously, this beer is very active and definitely has the appropriate Belgian yeast characteristics. The head is creamy, slightly off white colored. High lacing all the way down. Color is a little light for a dark ale, but otherwise it's luminous and glowing while also being rich, thick and deep. Chestnut, blood, burgundy, roasted cherries come to mind. Not bad, eh?

Taste: Overall, the characteristics from the nose pair well with the mouth flavors, but the hops come through much more strongly. Don't get me wrong the hops don't overpower here but add a continuous tang around the mouth. Slghtly dry on the front tongue with really nice sweet middle, good malt profile. We've got figs, roastiness, raisins, pie crust. Finishes dry and almost tart but not quite. I like this a lot, but gotta be most attentive to taste.

Mouth: Mouthfeel is also very good. My first two sips were great. The beer swallowed like a skinned grape; kind of starts big and round and quick slips down your throat. Actually, amazingly easy to drink, but we'll get to that. Medium bodied, but after half a glass gets semmingly lighter and lighter. Carbonation is delightful. I could have asked for a little bit bigger bubble profile, but the bubbles themselves are tiny, refined,controlled and full of vigor. Good stuff here.

Drink: Yes, bring more. Brew more, in fact! Not likely. In ol' PA it's pricey but I'd get several bottles otherwise and would love to see how this grows and changes over a year or so. (1,974 characters)

More User Reviews:

Brewed in the style of a Belgian Strong Dark Ale, originally as a collaborative ale between Avery and Russian River Brewing company, now a rotating release. This is batch #6, 1.077 OG, 8.69% ABV, bottled in January 2012. Available in 22 oz. bottles and on limited draft.

Poured from a 22 oz. bottle to a tulip glass. Served above 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

(Appearance)Pours a frothy crisp caramel cream head over a deep maple amber body with moderate dark flecks of sediment, very low, soft carbonation. Retention is above average and lacing is light and spotty. 3.75

(Smell) A soft malty bread body with some Belgian yeast spiciness, moderate stone fruits, predominantly cherry, some moderate tartness in the nose. The nose is pungent and a bit sharp in places, some definite alcohol is creeping in. Potency is medium. 3.25

(Taste) The flavor is a continuation of the aroma, with dry grainy bread malts defining the base, and yeast-borne fruit spiciness, esters and phenols creeping in. 3.25

(Mouthfeel) Texture is residual, lightly chewy, medium dry. Carbonation is moderate, generating a mild crispness and brisk frothiness. Body is medium for the style, medium+ overall. Balance is yeasty and phenolic over sweet. Alcohol presence is moderate/high, and my suspicions are that this bottle may have become infected. 3.25

(Overall) I will have to try this beer again at a later date, as I do not think that my bottle reflects the brewerys' intentions of how this beer should be enjoyed. Lots of yeast-generated flavor and character is to be had in Batch #6, with intense fruity esters and phenols, it's a gradual sipper and not impossible to drink, but that's not necessarily a testament to high drinkability. 3.25

Bottled in Jan 07,poured into a fish bowl glass murky tea-like color with chinks and floaties swirling about a thinner head than expected leaving only a tace amount of spotted lace as it settled rather quickly.Mild phenolic aromas hit upfront along with some sweeter bread dough and a hint of wood nothing jumps out all are a bit tame but noticable.Phenolic and spicey with an underlying woddy graininess the fruit is a bit subdued pretty dry on the palate in my mind.Although not a huge fan of the style I was craving it and this although pretty good didnt really give me my fix I was looking for. (598 characters)

Appearance - This is a light orangish-brown in color with a modest head, not exactly what I'm looking for in the style.

Smell - This smells more like a BSPA than a BSDA, and not a particularly good one at that. There is some light but unmistakable medicine cabinet and herbal hopping, but the big malts and sweetish sugars that you expect from the style are totally absent. I am getting some light yeast which is always nice but overall a disappointing nose.

Taste - We do have some sweetness here upon warming, but where are the big malts and darkish flavors? I'm still getting a very green taste.

Mouthfeel - This is bigger than medium-bodied but not full. It is quite bitter but again in a greenish leafy kind of way. The carbonation is lacking as well.

Drinkability - I just can't bring myself to pour a 9% big Belgian beer in the sink so I will finish this one, but damn this was the closest I've come.

Update - I originally reviewed this in June 2008 so thought I'd give it another go in April 2009. I got little head on this one as well so my previous poor Appearance rating was unlikely due to a bad bottle. And, again, I didn't get a lot of darkish malts although the bitterness is still present.

Having said all that, my original 2.80 rating was a bit harsh in retrospect so I bumped most of the scores up a notch. (1,330 characters)

Hazy, light rust hues with little to no head except for the final pour from the bottle. There is very little carbonation visible but the debris present makes the difference. The malt overtones are exceptionally balanced with the hop finish and fruity undertones. The sweet candied hops and fruitiness is nice and made crisp with a nice floral/citrus hop finish. There is some chewy stickiness to this brew which is quite pleasant as the body stays even without too much thickness or syrup. The body of the brew reminds me of apple cider, and even more so as my pint sat and came up to room temperature. The rise in temp also increased the ease with which my pallet could detect a nice hop finish. This is a really good style interpretation and a testament to what two quality brewers can do when their not suing one another over copywrie issues. (845 characters)

This beer was a hazy light amber color with some residual head. The aroma had figs, raisins, and some alcohol present, along with some typical Belgian characteristics. It's a little thin on the palate and has quite a bit of carbonation. It finishes solid, but overall, did not live up to its billing. (300 characters)

Purchased from Consumer Beverage in Hales Corners, WI. Poured from the bottle into a snifter yielded a deep, dark orange body with a thin cap of foam. Aroma is mostly of yeasty esters with some hint of malt sweetness. Mouthfeel is full bodied and syrupy. Extremely malty and sweet. The alcohol is well hidden. This is a decent beer, but didn't win me over. (356 characters)

Very excited about this little guy. Ive had neither of the contributors, so I dont have anything to compare it to. I dont get much bigger Avery out here on the east coast. Bottled Jan 2007, been waiting for my lips about 8 months.

a - Carmel, dark cloudy amber in appearence. Nice thick head disapating into magnificant lacing. Pretty thick layer on the side of the glass.

s - Belgian (lol). Light, some citrus, maybe hops.

t - Subtle, strong finish. Finishing flavor is quite complex. Id wager 3/4 of taste is in finish. Not sure Ive experienced this with a beer before. Belgian hops of course, though seems like lots of sugar used, maybe to make beer heavier? I guess there is somthing id like more of. Nothing wrong with it, though the taste is leaving me with waiting.

m - Nice explosions in the mouth. Remind me a bit of Rochefort quad. ABV is apprent late in finish. A very warming alcohol though, not a bite.

d - Id love to get my hands on as many of these as possible. I wouldnt drink them every day, though I imagine these would cellar very well. Id be curious of how they are after 2+ years. (1,106 characters)

Batch #2, bottled Feb08. An amber color with a medium sized white head. Nice aroma of banana and bread. I tasted bananas pretty much all the way through, but got a tinge of perfume at the end. Not unpleasant, just a bit surprising. I thought this was a pretty enjoyable beer. (275 characters)

Body is a hazed orange/brown hue with a large offwhite head that hangs around for several minutes. Generous amounts of sheet lacing drape the goblet. Inviting aroma of dark fruits, musty yeast, bubblegum, guava, prunes and a hint of licorice. Mouthfeel has medium carbonation and body and some alcohol burn. Taste has lots of dark fruits, mostly figs and prunes. Bitter citrusy hops and yeast are also noted. Somewhat phenolic and abrasive with some harsh alcohol tones. An interesting concept here but I was hoping for a better result. (536 characters)

Typical Avery bomber, silver foil top, bottled in Jan 2007. Pours murky, cloudy light brown/dark apricot, head is active and long lasting medium tan and this creation leaves nicely developed and sticky lacing in sheets and splotches. Nose here is fruity, raisins and some light smoke. Be sure to let this one warm up and get a chance to breath. Fruity, more smoke, raisins, warming alcohol well dove-tailed into the mix. Quite drinkable and balanced, abit differant from some of the other Avery offerings (which I love anyway for their boldness). Spicy, peppery, mild smoky hot sauce, drying finish.Drinking very well at this early date, seems it would only improve with some time. Go get some to enjoy now and in a year. (721 characters)